12 Major League Teams Losing the Most Fans

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Sports teams often go through sharp swings in popularity. Attendance rises and falls. This frequently has to do with how well a team performs. When teams do well, people outside of their primary fan base become interested and start going to games. An example of this is the Florida Marlins, who won the world series in 2003 and saw attendance rise 60 percent in a single year. Alternatively, teams who do poorly also win new fans.

 

Attendance for the four major league sports – NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL – remained relatively flat from 2001 to 2010. The total fan increase for all NHL teams – the best performer of the four – was only 2.59 percent. The weakest, the NFL, only grew .49 percent.

 

Despite the relatively anemic growth overall, some teams have done extraordinarily well drawing fans. MLB teams such as Los Angeles and Minnesota saw crowds increase more than 50 percent, while Philadelphia’s attendance doubled. NFL teams such as Arizona, Atlanta, and Dallas jumped more than 25 percent.

 

Using records provided by ESPN, 24/7 Wall St. examined changes in attendance for the four major league sports from 2001 to 2010 to identify the twelve teams that decreased more than 20 percent. The majority of these teams have performed poorly in recent years, causing fans to lose interest. The win-lose record and number of championships is included after the jumps to reflect the former and current state of each team.

 

These are the 12 sports franchises losing the most fans.

 

12. Oakland Raiders

• Decrease in attendance: 21.32 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 10-6 (finished 1st in AFC West)

• 2010 W-L record: 8-8 (finished 3rd in AFC West)

• League championships last decade: none

 

11. Columbus Blue Jackets

• Decrease in attendance: 21.76 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 28–39–9–6 (finished 5th in Central Division)

• 2010 W-L record: 32-35-15 (finished 5th in Central Division)

• League championships last decade: none

 

10. Indiana Pacers

• Decrease in attendance: 24.32 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 41-41 (finished 8th in Eastern Conference)

• 2010 W-L record: 32-50 (finished 10th in Eastern Conference)

• League championships last decade: none

 

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Decrease in attendance: 24.78 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 9-7 (finished 3rd in NFC Central Division)

• 2010 W-L record: 10-6 (finished 3rd in NFC South Division)

• League championships last decade: won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002

 

8. Philadelphia 76ers

• Decrease in attendance: 24.94 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 56-26 (finished 1st in the Eastern Conference)

• 2010 W-L record: 27-55 (finished 13th in the Eastern Conference)

• League championships last decade: none

 

7. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Decrease in attendance: 25.05 percent

• 92-70 (finished 1st in NL West)

• 2010 W-L record: 65-97 (finished 5th in NL West)

• League championships last decade: won World Series in 2001

 

6. Detroit Lions

• Decrease in attendance: 25.18 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 2-14 (finished 5th in NFC Central Division)

• 2010 W-L record: 6-10 (finished 3rd in NFC North Division)

• League championships last decade: none

 

5. Oakland Athletics

• Decrease in attendance: 33.51 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 102-60 (finished 2nd in AL West)

• 2010 W-L record: 81-81 (finished 2nd in AL West)

• League championships last decade: none

 

4. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Decrease in attendance: 33.78 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 62-100 (finished 6th in NL Central)

• 2010 W-L record: 57-105 (finished 6th in NL Central)

• League championships last decade: none

 

3. Seattle Mariners

• Decrease in attendance: 40.54 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 116-46 (finished 1st in AL West)

• 2010 W-L record: 61-101 (finished 4th in AL West)

• League championships last decade: none

 

2. Baltimore Orioles

• Decrease in attendance: 44.00 percent

• 2001 W-L record: 63-98 (finished 4th in AL East)

• 2010 W-L record: 66-96 (finished 5th in AL East)

• League championships last decade: none

 

1. Cleveland Indians

• Decrease in attendance: 56.08 percent

• 2000 W-L record: 91-71 (finished 1st in AL Central)

• 2010 W-L record: 69-93 (finished 4th in AL Central)

• League championships last decade: none

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-247wallstreet-pro_teams_losing_fans_091511

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

It's sad to see the Bucs on the list but not surprising. I thought going into the thread, "I bet I'll see the Bucs on here". It's especially depressing to see those statistics knowing we've had a relatively successful team this past decade and have brought home a Lombardi trophy.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

It's sad to see the Bucs on the list but not surprising. I thought going into the thread, "I bet I'll see the Bucs on here". It's especially depressing to see those statistics knowing we've had a relatively successful team this past decade and have brought home a Lombardi trophy.

 

At least you have to figure things will turn around with the amount of youth and potential on your team, unlike, say, the Raiders, who are stuck in a perpetual black hole.

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

At least you have to figure things will turn around with the amount of youth and potential on your team, unlike, say, the Raiders, who are stuck in a perpetual black hole.

The Raiders too have a youthful team with promise. They do seem to have a better fan base though and it helps they have such a deep tradition in the NFL.

[housemd 338]

I would never say that the team at No 1 is Cleveland Indians(i expected the Orioles)...it's also surprising that first 5 teams are from MLB...

[JetsFan4Life 542]

I would never say that the team at No 1 is Cleveland Indians(i expected the Orioles)...it's also surprising that first 5 teams are from MLB...

 

It makes sense on the terms of "decline" because in 2001 Cleveland was a hotbed in baseball and the Jake was sold out every night, now obviously not so much.

[BigBen07 285]

Who really cares about the Blue Jackets? Hockey in Ohio has always been a terrible idea. The Browns and Bengals keep drawing fans and have been around FAR longer.

[blotsfan 2,112]

The Blue Jackets have a great fanbase that just has started giving up after 10 years of garbage.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Honestly, I would say it is quite impressive that the Pirates aren't #1 considering how bad they've been for so long. Oh well, the improvement has already begun. The seats will really start to fill up again in 2012.

[BigBen07 285]

The Blue Jackets have a great fanbase that just has started giving up after 10 years of garbage.

 

I don't know about that... I really haven't seen any indication of a solid fanbase there. I've seen the Jackets arena have around 3,000-4,500 people in attendence regularly.

[themush 13]

Honestly, I would say it is quite impressive that the Pirates aren't #1 considering how bad they've been for so long. Oh well, the improvement has already begun. The seats will really start to fill up again in 2012.

Sarge, the Pirates first need to actually have fans in order to lose them.

 

I'm tired of all this lack of fan support bullshit in general, but specifically the ESPN circle jerk when it comes to calling out the Tampa Bay area. What they don't tell you is we have the second worst housing market(Vegas) and the 4th worst unemployment rate in the country. People can't afford their mortgage payments, rent, etc...much less have an extra $70 just for a ticket to a Bucs game. Add to that $20 to park and $9 for a beer or $6 for a soda.

 

They point to New York and say they don't have a fan suport problem, which is true. New York has 28,000 people per square mile within 30 miles of the stadiums. Tampa has 1,300 people per square mile within that same circumference. But you'll never hear about those facts.

 

Sorry for the rant I just get fired up about this particular subject.

Edited September 30, 2011 by themush

[WindyCitySports 407]

Who really cares about the Blue Jackets? Hockey in Ohio has always been a terrible idea. The Browns and Bengals keep drawing fans and have been around FAR longer.

I don't see what makes you count out Ohio in terms of a state that would be into hockey. It's in the northern US and located near cities who care about hockey like Philly, Detroit, and Chicago. I think the problem is that the team is in Columbus. Why wouldn't you have the team in Cleveland or Cincy where the rest of OH teams are? Preferably Cleveland because Cincinatti is too "southy."

 

Also, glad to see none of my teams on this list.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I don't know about that... I really haven't seen any indication of a solid fanbase there. I've seen the Jackets arena have around 3,000-4,500 people in attendence regularly.

Considering last year had the first blue jackets game ever with less than 10,000 people, I'm doubtful. The Blue Jackets had solid attendance over the years, and it just went down when the team has been consistently horrible. Give them a decent team and fans will return.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Sarge, the Pirates first need to actually have fans in order to lose them. I'm tired of all this lack of fan support bullshit in general, but specifically the ESPN circle jerk when it comes to calling out the Tampa Bay area. What they don't tell you is we have the second worst housing market(Vegas) and the 4th worst unemployment rate in the country. People can't afford their mortgage payments, rent, etc...much less have an extra $70 just for a ticket to a Bucs game. Add to that $20 to park and $9 for a beer or $6 for a soda.

 

They point to New York and say they don't have a fan suport problem, which is true. New York has 28,000 people per square mile within 30 miles of the stadiums. Tampa has 1,300 people per square mile within that same circumference. But you'll never hear about those facts.

 

Sorry for the rant I just get fired up about this particular subject.

 

I know you were kidding, but I would just like to point out that the Pirates sold an average of 5,000 more tickets per game in 2011 than they did in 2010. That's a pretty big increase.

[NaTaS+ 958]

Honestly, I would say it is quite impressive that the Pirates aren't #1 considering how bad they've been for so long. Oh well, the improvement has already begun. The seats will really start to fill up again in 2012.

 

It was the dramatic loss of fans that is significant in this poll. I think the Pirates being bad for so long is why they've not loss fan attendance.

 

 

Indians being number 1 doesnt surprise me. They sell talent and bring in bush league bullshit. The owners cant see that it takes money to make money. Put a winning product on the field and the fans will come back. This is a football town they do not have the luxury of sucking year after year like the Browns do.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Yes, I know that. What I'm saying is, it's really a wonder they aren't #1 on the lost.